[image: Inline image 1] FOR IMMEDIATE ANNOUNCEMENT *December 10, 2014 *The Board of Directors for the Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPA) announced today that Rick Harnish will be stepping down from his position as WISPA’s Executive Director effective at the end of 2014. Mr. Harnish was one of the founders of WISPA and a key person in its growth from a small group of 200 determined industry backers to a robust group of over 830 likeminded individuals and vendors. Rick has served as WISPA’s Executive Director since 2010.
WISPA Board President Chuck Hogg said: “There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time because thanks to Rick’s dedication and sacrifices from our earliest days, WISPA is well-positioned for continued growth. The Board and I are grateful to Rick for his leadership, integrity and resilience in guiding WISPA through its formative years and positioning it well for the future. We wish him all the best with the next stage of his career.” Rick also stated, “It’s always been my goal to stimulate WISPA’s revenue growth and membership, so our industry could fund its growing lobbying efforts in our nation’s capital. I have enjoyed facilitating opportunities for all WISPA members as we worked to build a strong and engaged community. One of my main goals this year was to streamline administrative and member engagement processes by discovering a better Association Management Software platform. We have begun implementation and I plan on fine-tuning the new platform during the final weeks of my employment. Assisting entrepreneurs to grow their businesses has been a blessing to me these past 11 years. While I am moving on to the next stage of my career, I plan to remain involved in the WISP industry and with my many friends and colleagues. I wish the WISPA members the very best as I bid farewell from my current position.” When WISPA was formed in January 2004, Rick served as Secretary on the founding board, and held positions as Secretary, Vice President and ultimately, Rick was elected President of the Board in 2008, a post he held until 2010. Rick became WISPA’s first Executive Director in August of that year. The WISPA Board and its Association Management Committee will direct the process of identifying how best to represent the industry in its relationships with its members, the public, Congress, the Administration, the FCC, and other federal agencies. Board President Hogg said that the Board will continue to find ways to improve WISPA in its mission to serve as an important strategic voice on the direction of the industry. Associate Executive Director Trina Coffey will manage WISPA’s semi-annual conferences, including its annual spring conference, WISPAmerica, at the St. Louis Union Station, in St. Louis, Missouri from February 22-28, 2015. Inquiries as to the operation of WISPA may be directed to Board President Chuck Hogg at [email protected].
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